Calvert wins at Huntingtown for first time in 6 years

Huntingtown, MD- On Friday, Jan. 11, the Calvert Cavaliers traveled up to Huntingtown for their first of two meetings this season with the Hurricanes. The (6-3) Cavaliers walked out with a win, overcoming the (6-5) Hurricanes 57-56.

“It’s tough to win up here, they have a great program and you know they’re going to run it well,” said Calvert Head Coach Jeremy Kurutz after the nail biter game.

Huntingtown Head Coach Tobias Jenifer stated that the contest was “probably one of the most emotional games I’ve been a part of since coming here.”

Calvert jumped ahead early, stretching their lead to as many as 11 in both the second and third periods but Huntingtown never folded, battling back both times. “You’re never going to get ahead enough in a county rivalry like that,” explained Kurutz who attributed the Hurricanes’ unwillingness to back down to the rivalry and home atmosphere at Huntingtown, one that hadn’t been overcome by the Cavaliers since 2013. “Every time we come down here it’s packed and it’s hard to hear anything. We just wanted to play our game, this team isn’t as strong as they have been, and none of us on this team have won here at Huntingtown,” said Jonathan Rawlings (Jr.) after the game. Rawlings had 10-points on the night.

While Huntingtown was nipping at the heels of the Cavaliers, one of the team’s senior leaders was a single point away from 1,000 in his career. Ryan Rachic had a big game for Calvert, scoring 11 points, but his biggest moment of the night came in the fourth quarter when he hit a three-pointer that extended the Cavalier lead and pushed him over the 1,000-point-mark. “I’ve been tracking them all season, it’s been a goal in the back of my mind.” The four-year varsity player had to wait for his opportunities on the court but he took advantage of them when they came. “Great job by them, they never gave up. Next time we play them it’s going to be a good game,” Rachic concluded.

Coach Kurutz wanted to get good scorers on the floor, knowing that Huntingtown was down and was going to start intentionally fouling. As he searched up and down the bench for a player to sub in he “almost made the biggest coaching mistake,” as he realized that one of his starters, Liam Aris, was still on the bench with two minutes left in the game. “As soon as he gets in there, Huntingtown drives the baseline and he steals the ball, then next trip we come down he gets it over the top finishes the layup and gets a one-and-one, makes the free throw.” Late in the fourth quarter, Huntingtown’s Kedrick Frink, who had a game-high 26 points, hit two three-pointers, bringing the Hurricanes within one point both times. Aris had the game-winning block as the Hurricanes moved the ball under the basket with time running out.

“Even the ref said that was a hell of a block,” said Kurutz after the game. “I saw the big man get open under the basket and that I needed to make a play,” said Aris whose block stretched the Cavaliers’ win streak to four. Their next contest comes against (10-1) St. Charles Friday, Jan. 18.

“You never lose, you either win or you learn. And we need to learn to bounce back from this,” stated Jenifer as his Hurricanes face (3-4) Northern for the second time in exactly one week. Huntingtown defeated Northern last Wednesday 66-46. They will play this coming Wednesday Jan. 16, at home.